The big rumor Wednesday is that both Apple and Samsung may be planning to go bezel-free with this year's flagship smartphones, with the Korean manufacturer likely first out of the gate now that they've inked a media event for later this month. The less bezel the better, we say -- as long as our iPhones aren't going to smash into a thousand pieces because they're less sturdy as a result. Speaking of broken dreams, let's dig into our first story of the day...

Apple Designer Reveals How Dream Job Became a Nightmare

Ever wonder what it would be like to work at Apple? As it turns out, it's not so different from anywhere else, especially when your immediate superior is kind of an a-hole to you. Designer Jordan Price found this out the hard way, and lived to tell about his experience on Medium this week, ultimately packing up his stuff and heading home at lunchtime -- but not before leaving a message for his boss and calling him "the worst boss I had ever encountered in my entire professional career." To be fair to Cupertino, Price wasn't technically an Apple employee but rather a contracted designer -- but it still makes for fascinating insight for anyone with big dreams of working for the iPhone maker.

Sprint No Longer Breaks Out iPhone Sales in Quarterly Report

Third-place U.S. carrier Sprint announced its fourth quarter 2013 results this week, and strangely absent was any indication of how many iPhones were sold. Sadly, the carrier appears to have followed AT&T and Verizon when it comes to breaking out individual smartphone sales, making the job of analysts a little harder than normal. Otherwise, Sprint's wireless service revenue grew year-over-year for the 15th consecutive quarter to $7.2 billion, with 682,000 customers signed up during the three months. The carrier closed 2013 by selling 20.5 million smartphones, with 5.6 million of those sold during the fourth quarter alone.

CruxENCORE Converts iPad Air Into Full-Fledged Laptop

If you've ever thought to yourself, "I wish I could turn my iPad Air into a laptop!" -- your dream may soon become reality. The CruxENCORE is a new Kickstarter project from CruxCase, who hopes to raise $90,000 over the next month or so to manufacture the precision parts and components to convert an iPad Air tablet into a laptop, complete with 360º hinge made from airplane-grade anodized aluminum available in a variety of colors. CruxENCORE promises to deliver a MacBook-style typing experience and will include a 360mAh battery capable of going for more than a month between charges. Backers can pledge as little as $5 to have their name on the CruxENCORE packaging, while $35 or more gets you the keyboard case itself with free shipping.

Cellular Nexus 7 Finally Arrives at Verizon This Week

Verizon Wireless is finally getting a Nexus 7 tablet to call its very own, as a cellular-equipped 32GB black model swings into retail and online stores tomorrow, February 13 for $349.99. Looking to have your Nexus 7 shackled to Verizon for the next two years instead? No problem, the carrier will shave $100 off the up-front price, but take note: Those who already own a cellular-equipped 2013 model will be able to finally activate it on Verizon's network after downloading the latest software update. The Nexus 7 can be added to an existing Share Everything plan for only $10 per month, and Verizon will be offering several cases to accessorize your new seven-inch best friend.

Barnes & Noble Pares Down NOOK Hardware Staff

After making plans to ditch its e-reader tablet business, Barnes & Noble wound up doing an about face -- but according to Business Insider, the company's next hardware may be engineered by fewer people. After first reporting that the retailer laid off the entire Nook hardware division on Monday, Barnes & Noble later confirmed some jobs eliminated, but a spokesperson claims it wasn't a wholesale slaughter. "As we’ve aligned NOOK’s cost structure with business realities, staffing levels in certain areas of our organization have changed, leading to some job eliminations. We’re not going to comment specifically on those eliminations." Still, probably not great news for those waiting anxiously for the next Nook tablet...

Comment

what a wimp... couldn't handle the big boys most likely so he complains to make a story, get free publicity... hope no ones a fool to hire him after a stunt like this. wouldn't want him trashing my company just because i asked him to work.